The field of this invention relates to photographic equipment, and more particularly to a shipping container which can be utilized in conjunction with a photographic enlarger and print developer for loading of the print developing tray with light sensitive film in a darkened environment, thereby eliminating the need for an entire darkroom facility.
The subject matter of the present invention is directed to a structure which is to be used in conjunction with an invention described within U.S. patent application Ser. No. 479,037, filed Mar. 25, 1983, entitled, COMBINED PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGER AND PRINT DEVELOPING TRAY.
Prior to the developing of the invention described and claimed within the aforementioned patent application, the use of a darkroom was normally a necessity to perform the photographic processes to create durable pictures from light images. The darkroom is a fixed, enclosed area, generally a room in a house or building, from which all outside light can be excluded. This darkroom requires a considerable amount of space. It is generally impractical, particularly for nonprofessional photographers, to set aside such a space for this purpose alone. The darkroom is probably the greatest obstacle from preventing people from enjoying photography as a hobby. Many dwellings, particularly apartments, are simply not large enough to allow an entire room to be continuely used as a darkroom. The part time use of a bathroom or closet necessitates bothersome and time consuming unpacking and packing of photographic equipment before and after each use.
The invention described and claimed in the aforementioned patent application permits an individual to take advantage of reproducing photograhic print and enlarged photographic prints from photographic film without necessity of constructing of a darkroom. That individual may have an extensive library of 35 millimeter photographic slides (common terminology for a photographic transparancy) and that individual may desire to reproduce a print of a particular slide. If the individual does not have a darkroom, he must then take the slides to a photographic print reproduction facility and have the print reproduced.
The structure of the aforementioned patent application includes a print developing tray. This print developing tray includes a movable cover which can be moved to an open position exposing an internal chamber of the tray and to a closed position, thereby making the tray light-tight. The tray is to be loaded within the photographic enlarger unit and the cover can be moved at the appropriate time to expose a slide onto an unexposed photograhic print which has been previously loaded within the tray. The tray is then removed from the photographic enlarger and then the print is subsequently developed.
This photographic enlarger and print developing tray is designed for "in home" use. It has been found to be necessary to load that tray with the unexposed film without the use of a darkroom. It has been found that the most perferable way to achieve this is to incorporate a "portable darkroom facility" in conjunction with the shipping carton for the photographic enlarger and print developing tray.